City votes to pay nearly $10 million to reinstate flood policy

After the battering of recent hurricanes, city council agreed unanimously to reinstate the coverage

City votes to pay nearly $10 million to reinstate flood policy

Catastrophe & Flood

By Ryan Smith

Houston will shell out nearly $10 million to reinstate flood insurance coverage after damage from Hurricane Harvey exceeded its prior coverage maximum.

The Houston City Council approved spending $9.7 million to reinstate the coverage. The city had a $100 million policy to protect its facilities, but Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said that damage to city buildings topped that by about $75 million.

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Claims against the city’s flood insurance coverage had never been more than $33 million until Harvey, according to a Houston Chronicle report.

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While the city wasn’t scheduled to renew its policy until April, the council voted Wednesday to reinstate coverage at the same level it had prior to Harvey. The item passed unanimously with almost no discussion, the Chronicle reported.

Houston’s coverage is provided by a combination of 18 carriers, according to the Chronicle.

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